Punctured null data packet (NDP) within wireless communications

ABSTRACT

A wireless communication device (alternatively, device, WDEV, etc.) includes at least one processing circuitry configured to support communications with other WDEV(s) and to generate and process signals for such communications. In one example, the circuitry is configured to generate a null data packet (NDP), transmit at least a portion of the NDP to another wireless communication device via fewer than all of a plurality of sub-channels of a communication channel, and receive feedback from the another wireless communication device that is based on the another wireless communication device processing the at least the portion of the NDP that is received via the fewer than all of the plurality of sub-channels of the communication channel. In one example, the generated NDP includes at least one signal field (SIG) therein that includes information to specify a preamble puncturing option or the information is transmitted in a previous packet.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS/PATENT APPLICATIONS

The present U.S. Utility patent application claims priority pursuant to35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to the following U.S. Provisional Patent Applicationwhich is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety andmade part of the present U.S. Utility patent application for allpurposes: U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/632,976, entitled“Punctured null data packet (NDP) within wireless communications,” filedFeb. 20, 2018.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to communication systems; and,more particularly, to wireless communications within single user,multiple user, multiple access, and/or multiple-input-multiple-output(MIMO) wireless communications.

Description of Related Art

Communication systems support wireless and wire lined communicationsbetween wireless and/or wire lined communication devices. The systemscan range from national and/or international cellular telephone systems,to the Internet, to point-to-point in-home wireless networks and canoperate in accordance with one or more communication standards. Forexample, wireless communication systems may operate in accordance withone or more standards including, but not limited to, IEEE 802.11x (wherex may be various extensions such as a, b, n, g, etc.), Bluetooth,advanced mobile phone services (AMPS), digital AMPS, global system formobile communications (GSM), etc., and/or variations thereof.

In some instances, wireless communication is made between a transmitter(TX) and receiver (RX) using single-input-single-output (SISO)communication. Another type of wireless communication issingle-input-multiple-output (SIMO) in which a single TX processes datainto radio frequency (RF) signals that are transmitted to a RX thatincludes two or more antennas and two or more RX paths.

Yet an alternative type of wireless communication ismultiple-input-single-output (MISO) in which a TX includes two or moretransmission paths that each respectively converts a correspondingportion of baseband signals into RF signals, which are transmitted viacorresponding antennas to a RX. Another type of wireless communicationis multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) in which a TX and RX eachrespectively includes multiple paths such that a TX parallel processesdata using a spatial and time encoding function to produce two or morestreams of data and a RX receives the multiple RF signals via multipleRX paths that recapture the streams of data utilizing a spatial and timedecoding function.

However, note that certain standards, protocols, and/or recommendedpractices and associated NDP designs that are used to enable a receiverwireless communication device (e.g., wireless station (STA), etc.) toestimate the channel in order to enable transmit beamforming anddownlink (DL) multiple-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MU-MIMO) donot support preamble puncturing (e.g., not using one or more of the 20MHz sub-channels of an 80 MHz BW, a 160 MHz BW, and/or an 80+80 MHz BW,etc.). As such, the operation in accordance with a preamble puncturingmode may be limited in performance in many cases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a wirelesscommunication system.

FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of dense deployment ofwireless communication devices.

FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating an example of communication betweenwireless communication devices.

FIG. 2C is a diagram illustrating another example of communicationbetween wireless communication devices.

FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating an example of orthogonal frequencydivision multiplexing (OFDM) and/or orthogonal frequency divisionmultiple access (OFDMA).

FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating another example of OFDM and/or OFDMA.

FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating another example of OFDM and/or OFDMA.

FIG. 3D is a diagram illustrating another example of OFDM and/or OFDMA.

FIG. 3E is a diagram illustrating an example of single-carrier (SC)signaling.

FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating an example of at least one portion ofan OFDM/A packet.

FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating another example of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet of a second type.

FIG. 4C is a diagram illustrating an example of at least one portion ofan OFDM/A packet of another type.

FIG. 4D is a diagram illustrating another example of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet of a third type.

FIG. 4E is a diagram illustrating another example of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet of a fourth type.

FIG. 4F is a diagram illustrating another example of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet.

FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating another example of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet.

FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating another example of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet.

FIG. 5C is a diagram illustrating another example of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet.

FIG. 5D is a diagram illustrating another example of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet.

FIG. 5E is a diagram illustrating another example of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet.

FIG. 5F is a diagram illustrating an example of selection amongdifferent OFDM/A frame structures for use in communications betweenwireless communication devices and specifically showing OFDM/A framestructures corresponding to one or more resource units (RUs).

FIG. 5G is a diagram illustrating an example of various types ofdifferent resource units (RUs).

FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating another example of various types ofdifferent RUs.

FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating another example of various types ofdifferent RUs.

FIG. 6C is a diagram illustrating an example of various types ofcommunication protocol specified physical layer (PHY) fast Fouriertransform (FFT) sizes.

FIG. 6D is a diagram illustrating an example of different channelbandwidths and relationship there between.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating another example of different channelbandwidths and relationship there between.

FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating an example of an OFDMAtone/sub-carrier plan.

FIG. 8B is a diagram illustrating another example of an OFDMAtone/sub-carrier plan.

FIG. 9A is a diagram illustrating another example of an OFDMAtone/sub-carrier plan.

FIG. 9B is a diagram illustrating another example of an OFDMAtone/sub-carrier plan.

FIG. 10A is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method forexecution by at least one wireless communication device.

FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a method forexecution by at least one wireless communication device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a wirelesscommunication system 100. The wireless communication system 100 includesbase stations and/or access points 112-116, wireless communicationdevices 118-132 (e.g., wireless stations (STAs)), and a network hardwarecomponent 134. The wireless communication devices 118-132 may be laptopcomputers, or tablets, 118 and 126, personal digital assistants 120 and130, personal computers 124 and 132 and/or cellular telephones 122 and128. Other examples of such wireless communication devices 118-132 couldalso or alternatively include other types of devices that includewireless communication capability. The details of an embodiment of suchwireless communication devices are described in greater detail withreference to FIG. 2B among other diagrams.

Some examples of possible devices that may be implemented to operate inaccordance with any of the various examples, embodiments, options,and/or their equivalents, etc. described herein may include, but are notlimited by, appliances within homes, businesses, etc. such asrefrigerators, microwaves, heaters, heating systems, air conditioners,air conditioning systems, lighting control systems, and/or any othertypes of appliances, etc.; meters such as for natural gas service,electrical service, water service, Internet service, cable and/orsatellite television service, and/or any other types of meteringpurposes, etc.; devices wearable on a user or person including watches,monitors such as those that monitor activity level, bodily functionssuch as heartbeat, breathing, bodily activity, bodily motion or lackthereof, etc.; medical devices including intravenous (IV) medicinedelivery monitoring and/or controlling devices, blood monitoring devices(e.g., glucose monitoring devices) and/or any other types of medicaldevices, etc.; premises monitoring devices such as movementdetection/monitoring devices, door closed/ajar detection/monitoringdevices, security/alarm system monitoring devices, and/or any other typeof premises monitoring devices; multimedia devices includingtelevisions, computers, audio playback devices, video playback devices,and/or any other type of multimedia devices, etc.; and/or generally anyother type(s) of device(s) that include(s) wireless communicationcapability, functionality, circuitry, etc. In general, any device thatis implemented to support wireless communications may be implemented tooperate in accordance with any of the various examples, embodiments,options, and/or their equivalents, etc. described herein.

The base stations (BSs) or access points (APs) 112-116 are operablycoupled to the network hardware 134 via local area network connections136, 138, and 140. The network hardware 134, which may be a router,switch, bridge, modem, system controller, etc., provides a wide areanetwork connection 142 for the communication system 100. Each of thebase stations or access points 112-116 has an associated antenna orantenna array to communicate with the wireless communication devices inits area. Typically, the wireless communication devices register with aparticular base station or access point 112-116 to receive services fromthe communication system 100. For direct connections (i.e.,point-to-point communications), wireless communication devicescommunicate directly via an allocated channel.

Any of the various wireless communication devices (WDEVs) 118-132 andBSs or APs 112-116 may include processing circuitry and/or acommunication interface to support communications with any other of thewireless communication devices 118-132 and BSs or APs 112-116. In anexample of operation, processing circuitry and/or a communicationinterface implemented within one of the devices (e.g., any one of theWDEVs 118-132 and BSs or APs 112-116) is/are configured to process atleast one signal received from and/or to generate at least one signal tobe transmitted to another one of the devices (e.g., any other one of theWDEVs 118-132 and BSs or APs 112-116).

Note that general reference to a communication device, such as awireless communication device (e.g., WDEVs) 118-132 and BSs or APs112-116 in FIG. 1, or any other communication devices and/or wirelesscommunication devices may alternatively be made generally herein usingthe term ‘device’ (e.g., with respect to FIG. 2A below, “device 210”when referring to “wireless communication device 210” or “WDEV 210,” or“devices 210-234” when referring to “wireless communication devices210-234”; or with respect to FIG. 2B below, use of “device 310” mayalternatively be used when referring to “wireless communication device310”, or “devices 390 and 391 (or 390-391)” when referring to wirelesscommunication devices 390 and 391 or WDEVs 390 and 391). Generally, suchgeneral references or designations of devices may be usedinterchangeably.

The processing circuitry and/or the communication interface of any oneof the various devices, WDEVs 118-132 and BSs or APs 112-116, may beconfigured to support communications with any other of the variousdevices, WDEVs 118-132 and BSs or APs 112-116. Such communications maybe uni-directional or bi-directional between devices. Also, suchcommunications may be uni-directional between devices at one time andbi-directional between those devices at another time.

In an example, a device (e.g., any one of the WDEVs 118-132 and BSs orAPs 112-116) includes a communication interface and/or processingcircuitry (and possibly other possible circuitries, components,elements, etc.) to support communications with other device(s) and togenerate and process signals for such communications. The communicationinterface and/or the processing circuitry operate to perform variousoperations and functions to effectuate such communications (e.g., thecommunication interface and the processing circuitry may be configuredto perform certain operation(s) in conjunction with one another,cooperatively, dependently with one another, etc. and other operation(s)separately, independently from one another, etc.). In some examples,such processing circuitry includes all capability, functionality, and/orcircuitry, etc. to perform such operations as described herein. In someother examples, such a communication interface includes all capability,functionality, and/or circuitry, etc. to perform such operations asdescribed herein. In even other examples, such processing circuitry anda communication interface include all capability, functionality, and/orcircuitry, etc. to perform such operations as described herein, at leastin part, cooperatively with one another.

In an example of implementation and operation, a wireless communicationdevice (e.g., any one of the WDEVs 118-132 and BSs or APs 112-116)includes processing circuitry to support communications with one or moreof the other wireless communication devices (e.g., any other of theWDEVs 118-132 and BSs or APs 112-116). For example, such processingcircuitry is configured to perform both processing operations as well ascommunication interface related functionality. Such processing circuitrymay be implemented as a single integrated circuit, a system on a chip,etc.

In another example of implementation and operation, a wirelesscommunication device (e.g., any one of the WDEVs 118-132 and BSs or APs112-116) includes processing circuitry and a communication interfaceconfigured to support communications with one or more of the otherwireless communication devices (e.g., any other of the WDEVs 118-132 andBSs or APs 112-116).

In an example of operation and implementation, BS/AP 116 supportscommunications with WDEVs 130, 132. In another example, BS/AP 116supports communications with WDEV 130 (e.g., only with WDEV 130 and notwith WDEV 132 or alternatively, only with WDEV 132 and not with WDEV130).

Note that the forms of communications between the various wirelesscommunication devices may be varied and may include one or more of nulldata packet(s) (NDP(s)), punctured NDP(s), feedback signal(s), channelestimation(s), etc.

FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating an embodiment 201 of dense deploymentof wireless communication devices (shown as WDEVs in the diagram). Anyof the various WDEVs 210-234 may be access points (APs) or wirelessstations (STAs). For example, WDEV 210 may be an AP or an AP-operativeSTA that communicates with WDEVs 212, 214, 216, and 218 that are STAs.WDEV 220 may be an AP or an AP-operative STA that communicates withWDEVs 222, 224, 226, and 228 that are STAs. In certain instances, atleast one additional AP or AP-operative STA may be deployed, such asWDEV 230 that communicates with WDEVs 232 and 234 that are STAs. TheSTAs may be any type of one or more wireless communication device typesincluding wireless communication devices 118-132, and the APs orAP-operative STAs may be any type of one or more wireless communicationdevices including as BSs or APs 112-116. Different groups of the WDEVs210-234 may be partitioned into different basic services sets (BSSs). Insome instances, at least one of the WDEVs 210-234 are included within atleast one overlapping basic services set (OBSS) that cover two or moreBSSs. As described above with the association of WDEVs in an AP-STArelationship, one of the WDEVs may be operative as an AP and certain ofthe WDEVs can be implemented within the same basic services set (BSS).

This disclosure presents novel architectures, methods, approaches, etc.that allow for improved spatial re-use for next generation WiFi orwireless local area network (WLAN) systems. Next generation WiFi systemsare expected to improve performance in dense deployments where manyclients and APs are packed in a given area (e.g., which may be an area(indoor and/or outdoor) with a high density of devices, such as a trainstation, airport, stadium, building, shopping mall, arenas, conventioncenters, colleges, downtown city centers, etc. to name just someexamples). Large numbers of devices operating within a given area can beproblematic if not impossible using prior technologies.

FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating an example 202 of communicationbetween wireless communication devices. A wireless communication device310 (e.g., which may be any one of devices 118-132 as with reference toFIG. 1) is in communication with another wireless communication device390 (and/or any number of other wireless communication devices upthrough another wireless communication device 391) via a transmissionmedium. The wireless communication device 310 includes a communicationinterface 320 to perform transmitting and receiving of at least onesignal, symbol, packet, frame, etc. (e.g., using a transmitter 322 and areceiver 324) (note that general reference to packet or frame may beused interchangeably).

Generally speaking, the communication interface 320 is implemented toperform any such operations of an analog front end (AFE) and/or physicallayer (PHY) transmitter, receiver, and/or transceiver. Examples of suchoperations may include any one or more of various operations includingconversions between the frequency and analog or continuous time domains(e.g., such as the operations performed by a digital to analog converter(DAC) and/or an analog to digital converter (ADC)), gain adjustmentincluding scaling, filtering (e.g., in either the digital or analogdomains), frequency conversion (e.g., such as frequency upscaling and/orfrequency downscaling, such as to a baseband frequency at which one ormore of the components of the device 310 operates), equalization,pre-equalization, metric generation, symbol mapping and/or de-mapping,automatic gain control (AGC) operations, and/or any other operationsthat may be performed by an AFE and/or PHY component within a wirelesscommunication device.

In some implementations, the wireless communication device 310 alsoincludes processing circuitry 330, and an associated memory 340, toexecute various operations including interpreting at least one signal,symbol, packet, and/or frame transmitted to wireless communicationdevice 390 and/or received from the wireless communication device 390and/or wireless communication device 391. The wireless communicationdevices 310 and 390 (and/or 391) may be implemented using at least oneintegrated circuit in accordance with any desired configuration orcombination of components, modules, etc. within at least one integratedcircuit. Also, the wireless communication devices 310, 390, and/or 391may each include one or more antennas for transmitting and/or receivingof at least one packet or frame (e.g., WDEV 390 may include m antennas,and WDEV 391 may include n antennas).

Also, in some examples, note that one or more of the processingcircuitry 330, the communication interface 320 (including the TX 322and/or RX 324 thereof), and/or the memory 340 may be implemented in oneor more “processing modules,” “processing circuits,” “processors,”and/or “processing units” or their equivalents. Considering one example,a system-on-a-chip (SOC) 330 a may be implemented to include theprocessing circuitry 330, the communication interface 320 (including theTX 322 and/or RX 324 thereof), and the memory 340 (e.g., SOC 330 a beinga multi-functional, multi-module integrated circuit that includesmultiple components therein). Considering another example,processing-memory circuitry 330 b may be implemented to includefunctionality similar to both the processing circuitry 330 and thememory 340 yet the communication interface 320 is a separate circuitry(e.g., processing-memory circuitry 330 b is a single integrated circuitthat performs functionality of processing circuitry and a memory and iscoupled to and also interacts with the communication interface 320).

Considering even another example, two or more processing circuitries maybe implemented to include the processing circuitry 330, thecommunication interface 320 (including the TX 322 and/or RX 324thereof), and the memory 340. In such examples, such a “processingcircuitry” or “processing circuitries” (or “processor” or “processors”)is/are configured to perform various operations, functions,communications, etc. as described herein. In general, the variouselements, components, etc. shown within the device 310 may beimplemented in any number of “processing modules,” “processingcircuits,” “processors,” and/or “processing units” (e.g., 1, 2, . . . ,and generally using N such “processing modules,” “processing circuits,”“processors,” and/or “processing units”, where N is a positive integergreater than or equal to 1).

In some examples, the device 310 includes both processing circuitry 330and communication interface 320 configured to perform variousoperations. In other examples, the device 310 includes SOC 330 aconfigured to perform various operations. In even other examples, thedevice 310 includes processing-memory circuitry 330 b configured toperform various operations. Generally, such operations includegenerating, transmitting, etc. signals intended for one or more otherdevices (e.g., device 390 through 391) and receiving, processing, etc.other signals received for one or more other devices (e.g., device 390through 391).

In some examples, note that the communication interface 320, which iscoupled to the processing circuitry 330, that is configured to supportcommunications within a satellite communication system, a wirelesscommunication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-opticcommunication system, and/or a mobile communication system (and/or anyother type of communication system implemented using any type ofcommunication medium or media). Any of the signals generated andtransmitted and/or received and processed by the device 310 may becommunicated via any of these types of communication systems.

Note that the forms of communications between the various wirelesscommunication devices may be varied and may include one or more of nulldata packet(s) (NDP(s)), punctured NDP(s), feedback signal(s), channelestimation(s), etc.

FIG. 2C is a diagram illustrating another example 203 of communicationbetween wireless communication devices. At or during a first time (e.g.,time 1 (DT1)), the WDEV 310 transmits signal(s) to WDEV 390, and/or theWDEV 390 transmits other signal(s) to WDEV 310. At or during a secondtime (e.g., time 2 (DT2)), the WDEV 310 processes signal(s) receivedfrom WDEV 390, and/or the WDEV 390 processes signal(s) received fromWDEV 310.

In some examples, the signal(s) communicated between WDEV 310 and WDEV390 may include or be based on and/or other information for use insupporting channel estimation, channel characterization, etc. and/orother communications between WDEV 310 and WDEV 390.

Note that the forms of communications between the various wirelesscommunication devices may be varied and may include one or more of nulldata packet(s) (NDP(s)), punctured NDP(s), feedback signal(s), channelestimation(s), etc.

In another example of operation and implementation, at or during a firsttime (e.g., time 1 (DT1)), the WDEV 310 is configured to transmit a nulldata packet (NDP) to WDEV 390. In some examples, the NDP includespuncturing of one or more preamble portions therein. In some examples,the WDEV 310 is configured to transmit signaling to the WDEV 390 thatindicates particularly what form of puncturing of one or more preambleportions of the NDP is performed by the WDEV 310 (e.g., within the NDPand/or within one or more other communications from the WDEV 310 to theWDEV 390). Then, at or during a second time (e.g., time 2 (DT2)), theWDEV 310 processes the NDP received from WDEV 390 and generates anothersignal (e.g., feedback) based thereon to be transmitted to the WDEV 310.The WDEV 390 then transmits the feedback to the other signal (e.g.,feedback) to the WDEV 390 to be processed by the WDEV 310 (e.g., such asto process channel characterization, channel estimation, etc.).

In another example of implementation and operation, the WDEV 310includes both processing circuitry to perform many of the operationsdescribed above and also includes a communication interface, coupled tothe processing circuitry, that are configured in combination to supportcommunications within a satellite communication system, a wirelesscommunication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-opticcommunication system, and/or a mobile communication system. For example,certain operations may be performed by only the processing circuitry,other certain operations may be performed by only the communicationinterface, and even some other certain operations may be performed byboth the processing circuitry and the communication interface.

In some examples, the communication interface is configured to transmitthe first OFDMA frame and/or the third OFDMA frame to WDEV 390 and/orWDEV 391. Also, the communication interface is configured to receive thesecond OFDMA frame from WDEVs 390-391. In some other examples, theprocessing circuitry is configured to transmit the first OFDMA frameand/or the third OFDMA frame to WDEV 390 and/or WDEV 391 via thecommunication interface. Also, the processing circuitry is configured toreceive the second OFDMA frame from WDEVs 390-391 via the communicationinterface. In even other examples, both the communication interface andthe communication interface operate cooperatively and are configured togenerate, process, transmit, etc. the first OFDMA frame and/or the thirdOFDMA frame to WDEV 390 and/or WDEV 391. Also, the communicationinterface and the communication interface operate cooperatively and areconfigured to receive, process, etc. the second OFDMA frame from WDEVs390-391.

FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating an example 301 of orthogonal frequencydivision multiplexing (OFDM) and/or orthogonal frequency divisionmultiple access (OFDMA). OFDM's modulation may be viewed as dividing upan available spectrum into a plurality of narrowband sub-carriers (e.g.,relatively lower data rate carriers). The sub-carriers are includedwithin an available frequency spectrum portion or band. This availablefrequency spectrum is divided into the sub-carriers or tones used forthe OFDM or OFDMA symbols and packets/frames. Note that sub-carrier ortone may be used interchangeably. Typically, the frequency responses ofthese sub-carriers are non-overlapping and orthogonal. Each sub-carriermay be modulated using any of a variety of modulation coding techniques(e.g., as shown by the vertical axis of modulated data).

A communication device may be configured to perform encoding of one ormore bits to generate one or more coded bits used to generate themodulation data (or generally, data). For example, processing circuitryand the communication interface of a communication device may beconfigured to perform forward error correction (FEC) and/or errorchecking and correction (ECC) code of one or more bits to generate oneor more coded bits. Examples of FEC and/or ECC may include turbo code,convolutional code, turbo trellis coded modulation (TTCM), low densityparity check (LDPC) code, Reed-Solomon (RS) code, BCH (Bose andRay-Chaudhuri, and Hocquenghem) code, binary convolutional code (BCC),Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC), and/or any other type of ECC and/or FECcode and/or combination thereof, etc. Note that more than one type ofECC and/or FEC code may be used in any of various implementationsincluding concatenation (e.g., first ECC and/or FEC code followed bysecond ECC and/or FEC code, etc. such as based on an inner code/outercode architecture, etc.), parallel architecture (e.g., such that firstECC and/or FEC code operates on first bits while second ECC and/or FECcode operates on second bits, etc.), and/or any combination thereof. Theone or more coded bits may then undergo modulation or symbol mapping togenerate modulation symbols. The modulation symbols may include dataintended for one or more recipient devices. Note that such modulationsymbols may be generated using any of various types of modulation codingtechniques. Examples of such modulation coding techniques may includebinary phase shift keying (BPSK), quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK),8-phase shift keying (PSK), 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), 32amplitude and phase shift keying (APSK), etc., uncoded modulation,and/or any other desired types of modulation including higher orderedmodulations that may include even greater number of constellation points(e.g., 1024 QAM, etc.).

FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating another example 302 of OFDM and/orOFDMA. A transmitting device transmits modulation symbols via thesub-carriers. Note that such modulation symbols may include datamodulation symbols, pilot modulation symbols (e.g., for use in channelestimation, characterization, etc.) and/or other types of modulationsymbols (e.g., with other types of information included therein). OFDMand/or OFDMA modulation may operate by performing simultaneoustransmission of a large number of narrowband carriers (or multi-tones).In some applications, a guard interval (GI) or guard space is sometimesemployed between the various OFDM symbols to try to minimize the effectsof ISI (Inter-Symbol Interference) that may be caused by the effects ofmulti-path within the communication system, which can be particularly ofconcern in wireless communication systems.

In addition, as shown in right hand side of FIG. 3A, a cyclic prefix(CP) and/or cyclic suffix (CS) (e.g., shown in right hand side of FIG.3A, which may be a copy of the CP) may also be employed within the guardinterval to allow switching time (e.g., such as when jumping to a newcommunication channel or sub-channel) and to help maintain orthogonalityof the OFDM and/or OFDMA symbols. In some examples, a certain amount ofinformation (e.g., data bits) at the end portion of the data portionis/are copied and placed at the beginning of the data to form theframe/symbol(s). In a specific example, consider that the data includesdata bits x₀, x₁, . . . x_(N−Ncp), . . . , x_(N−1), where the x_(N−Ncp)bit is the first bit of the end portion of the data portion that is tobe copied, then the bits x_(N−Ncp), . . . , x_(N−1), are copied andplaced at the beginning of the frame/symbol(s). Note that such endportion of the data portion is/are copied and placed at the beginning ofthe data to form the frame/symbol(s) may also be shifted, cyclicallyshifted, and/or copied more than once, etc. if desired in certainembodiments. Generally speaking, an OFDM and/or OFDMA system design isbased on the expected delay spread within the communication system(e.g., the expected delay spread of the communication channel).

In a single-user system in which one or more OFDM symbols or OFDMpackets/frames are transmitted between a transmitter device and areceiver device, all of the sub-carriers or tones are dedicated for usein transmitting modulated data between the transmitter and receiverdevices. In a multiple user system in which one or more OFDM symbols orOFDM packets/frames are transmitted between a transmitter device andmultiple recipient or receiver devices, the various sub-carriers ortones may be mapped to different respective receiver devices asdescribed below with respect to FIG. 3C.

FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating another example 303 of OFDM and/orOFDMA. Comparing OFDMA to OFDM, OFDMA is a multi-user version of thepopular orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) digitalmodulation scheme. Multiple access is achieved in OFDMA by assigningsubsets of sub-carriers to individual recipient devices or users. Forexample, first sub-carrier(s)/tone(s) may be assigned to a user 1,second sub-carrier(s)/tone(s) may be assigned to a user 2, and so on upto any desired number of users. In addition, such sub-carrier/toneassignment may be dynamic among different respective transmissions(e.g., a first assignment for a first packet/frame, a second assignmentfor second packet/frame, etc.). An OFDM packet/frame may include morethan one OFDM symbol. Similarly, an OFDMA packet/frame may include morethan one OFDMA symbol. In addition, such sub-carrier/tone assignment maybe dynamic among different respective symbols within a givenpacket/frame or superframe (e.g., a first assignment for a first OFDMAsymbol within a packet/frame, a second assignment for a second OFDMAsymbol within the packet/frame, etc.). Generally speaking, an OFDMAsymbol is a particular type of OFDM symbol, and general reference toOFDM symbol herein includes both OFDM and OFDMA symbols (and generalreference to OFDM packet/frame herein includes both OFDM and OFDMApackets/frames, and vice versa). FIG. 3C shows example 303 where theassignments of sub-carriers to different users are intermingled amongone another (e.g., sub-carriers assigned to a first user includesnon-adjacent sub-carriers and at least one sub-carrier assigned to asecond user is located in between two sub-carriers assigned to the firstuser). The different groups of sub-carriers associated with each usermay be viewed as being respective channels of a plurality of channelsthat compose all of the available sub-carriers for OFDM signaling.

FIG. 3D is a diagram illustrating another example 304 of OFDM and/orOFDMA. In this example 304, the assignments of sub-carriers to differentusers are located in different groups of adjacent sub-carriers (e.g.,first sub-carriers assigned to a first user include first adjacentlylocated sub-carrier group, second sub-carriers assigned to a second userinclude second adjacently located sub-carrier group, etc.). Thedifferent groups of adjacently located sub-carriers associated with eachuser may be viewed as being respective channels of a plurality ofchannels that compose all of the available sub-carriers for OFDMsignaling.

FIG. 3E is a diagram illustrating an example 305 of single-carrier (SC)signaling. SC signaling, when compared to OFDM signaling, includes asingular relatively wide channel across which signals are transmitted.In contrast, in OFDM, multiple narrowband sub-carriers or narrowbandsub-channels span the available frequency range, bandwidth, or spectrumacross which signals are transmitted within the narrowband sub-carriersor narrowband sub-channels.

Generally, a communication device may be configured to includeprocessing circuitry and the communication interface (or alternativelydifferent respective configuration of circuitries, such as SOC 330 aand/or processing-memory circuitry 330 b shown in FIG. 2B) configured toprocess received OFDM and/or OFDMA symbols and/or frames (and/or SCsymbols and/or frames) and to generate such OFDM and/or OFDMA symbolsand/or frames (and/or SC symbols and/or frames).

In prior IEEE 802.11 legacy prior standards, protocols, and/orrecommended practices, including those that operate in the 2.4 GHz and 4GHz frequency bands, certain preambles are used. For use in thedevelopment of a new standard, protocol, and/or recommended practice, anew preamble design is presented herein that permits classification ofall current preamble formats while still enabling the classification ofa new format by new devices. In addition, various embodiments, examples,designs, etc. of new short training fields (STFs) and long trainingfields (LTFs) are presented herein.

FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating an example 401 of at least one portionof an OFDM/A packet. This packet includes at least one preamble symbolfollowed by at least one data symbol. The at least one preamble symbolincludes information for use in identifying, classifying, and/orcategorizing the packet for appropriate processing.

FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating another example 402 of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet of a second type. This packet also includesa preamble and data. The preamble is composed of at least one shorttraining field (STF), at least one long training field (LTF), and atleast one signal field (SIG). The data is composed of at least one datafield. In both this example 402 and the prior example 401, the at leastone data symbol and/or the at least one data field may generally bereferred to as the payload of the packet. Among other purposes, STFsand/or LTFs can be used to assist a device to identify that a frame isabout to start, to synchronize timers, to select an antennaconfiguration, to set receiver gain, to set up certain of the modulationparameters for the remainder of the packet, to perform channelestimation for uses such as beamforming, etc. In some examples, one ormore STFs are used for gain adjustment (e.g., such as automatic gaincontrol (AGC) adjustment), and a given STF may be repeated one or moretimes (e.g., repeated 1 time in one example). In some examples, one ormore LTFs are used for channel estimation, channel characterization,etc. (e.g., such as for determining a channel response, a channeltransfer function, etc.), and a given LTF may be repeated one or moretimes (e.g., repeated up to 8 times in one example).

Among other purposes, the SIGs can include various information todescribe the OFDM packet including certain attributes as data rate,packet length, number of symbols within the packet, channel width,modulation encoding, modulation coding set (MCS), modulation type,whether the packet as a single or multiuser frame, frame length, etc.among other possible information. This disclosure presents, among otherthings, a means by which a variable length second at least one SIG canbe used to include any desired amount of information. By using at leastone SIG that is a variable length, different amounts of information maybe specified therein to adapt for any situation.

Various examples are described below for possible designs of a preamblefor use in wireless communications as described herein.

FIG. 4C is a diagram illustrating another example 403 of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet of another type. A field within the packetmay be copied one or more times therein (e.g., where N is the number oftimes that the field is copied, and N is any positive integer greaterthan or equal to one). This copy may be a cyclically shifted copy. Thecopy may be modified in other ways from the original from which the copyis made.

FIG. 4D is a diagram illustrating another example 404 of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet of a third type. In this example 404, theOFDM/A packet includes one or more fields followed by one or more firstsignal fields (SIG(s) 1) followed by one or more second signal fields(SIG(s) 2) followed by and one or more data field.

FIG. 4E is a diagram illustrating another example 405 of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet of a fourth type. In this example 405, theOFDM/A packet includes one or more first fields followed by one or morefirst signal fields (SIG(s) 1) followed by one or more second fieldsfollowed by one or more second signal fields (SIG(s) 2) followed by andone or more data field.

FIG. 4F is a diagram illustrating another example 406 of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet. Such a general preamble format may bebackward compatible with prior IEEE 802.11 prior standards, protocols,and/or recommended practices.

In this example 406, the OFDM/A packet includes a legacy portion (e.g.,at least one legacy short training field (STF) shown as L-STF, legacysignal field (SIG) shown as L-SIG) and a first signal field (SIG) (e.g.,VHT [Very High Throughput] SIG (shown as SIG-A)). Then, the OFDM/Apacket includes one or more other VHT portions (e.g., VHT short trainingfield (STF) shown as VHT-STF, one or more VHT long training fields(LTFs) shown as VHT-LTF, a second SIG (e.g., VHT SIG (shown as SIG-B)),and one or more data symbols.

Various diagrams below are shown that depict at least a portion (e.g.,preamble) of various OFDM/A packet designs.

FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating another example 501 of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet. In this example 501, the OFDM/A packetincludes a signal field (SIG) and/or a repeat of that SIG thatcorresponds to a prior or legacy communication standard, protocol,and/or recommended practice relative to a newer, developing, etc.communication standard, protocol, and/or recommended practice (shown asL-SIG/R-L-SIG) followed by a first at least one SIG based on a newer,developing, etc. communication standard, protocol, and/or recommendedpractice (shown as HE-SIG-A1, e.g., where HE corresponds to highefficiency) followed by a second at least one SIG based on a newer,developing, etc. communication standard, protocol, and/or recommendedpractice (shown as HE-SIG-A2, e.g., where HE again corresponds to highefficiency) followed by a short training field (STF) based on a newer,developing, etc. communication standard, protocol, and/or recommendedpractice (shown as HE-STF, e.g., where HE again corresponds to highefficiency) followed by one or more fields.

FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating another example 502 of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet. In this example 502, the OFDM/A packetincludes a signal field (SIG) and/or a repeat of that SIG thatcorresponds to a prior or legacy communication standard, protocol,and/or recommended practice relative to a newer, developing, etc.communication standard, protocol, and/or recommended practice (shown asL-SIG/R-L-SIG) followed by a first at least one SIG based on a newer,developing, etc. communication standard, protocol, and/or recommendedpractice (shown as HE-SIG-A1, e.g., where HE corresponds to highefficiency) followed by a second at least one SIG based on a newer,developing, etc. communication standard, protocol, and/or recommendedpractice (shown as HE-SIG-A2, e.g., where HE again corresponds to highefficiency) followed by a third at least one SIG based on a newer,developing, etc. communication standard, protocol, and/or recommendedpractice (shown as HE-SIG-A3, e.g., where HE again corresponds to highefficiency) followed by a fourth at least one SIG based on a newer,developing, etc. communication standard, protocol, and/or recommendedpractice (shown as HE-SIG-A4, e.g., where HE again corresponds to highefficiency) followed by a STF based on a newer, developing, etc.communication standard, protocol, and/or recommended practice (shown asHE-STF, e.g., where HE again corresponds to high efficiency) followed byone or more fields.

FIG. 5C is a diagram illustrating another example 502 of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet. In this example 503, the OFDM/A packetincludes a signal field (SIG) and/or a repeat of that SIG thatcorresponds to a prior or legacy communication standard, protocol,and/or recommended practice relative to a newer, developing, etc.communication standard, protocol, and/or recommended practice (shown asL-SIG/R-L-SIG) followed by a first at least one SIG based on a newer,developing, etc. communication standard, protocol, and/or recommendedpractice (shown as HE-SIG-A1, e.g., where HE corresponds to highefficiency) followed by a second at least one SIG based on a newer,developing, etc. communication standard, protocol, and/or recommendedpractice (shown as HE-SIG-A2, e.g., where HE again corresponds to highefficiency) followed by a third at least one SIG based on a newer,developing, etc. communication standard, protocol, and/or recommendedpractice (shown as HE-SIG-B, e.g., where HE again corresponds to highefficiency) followed by a STF based on a newer, developing, etc.communication standard, protocol, and/or recommended practice (shown asHE-STF, e.g., where HE again corresponds to high efficiency) followed byone or more fields. This example 503 shows a distributed SIG design thatincludes a first at least one SIG-A (e.g., HE-SIG-A1 and HE-SIG-A2) anda second at least one SIG-B (e.g., HE-SIG-B).

FIG. 5D is a diagram illustrating another example 504 of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet. This example 504 depicts a type of OFDM/Apacket that includes a preamble and data. The preamble is composed of atleast one short training field (STF), at least one long training field(LTF), and at least one signal field (SIG).

In this example 504, the preamble is composed of at least one shorttraining field (STF) that corresponds to a prior or legacy communicationstandard, protocol, and/or recommended practice relative to a newer,developing, etc. communication standard, protocol, and/or recommendedpractice (shown as L-STF(s)) followed by at least one long trainingfield (LTF) that corresponds to a prior or legacy communicationstandard, protocol, and/or recommended practice relative to a newer,developing, etc. communication standard, protocol, and/or recommendedpractice (shown as L-LTF(s)) followed by at least one SIG thatcorresponds to a prior or legacy communication standard, protocol,and/or recommended practice relative to a newer, developing, etc.communication standard, protocol, and/or recommended practice (shown asL-SIG(s)) and optionally followed by a repeat (e.g., or cyclicallyshifted repeat) of the L-SIG(s) (shown as RL-SIG(s)) followed by anotherat least one SIG based on a newer, developing, etc. communicationstandard, protocol, and/or recommended practice (shown as HE-SIG-A,e.g., where HE again corresponds to high efficiency) followed by anotherat least one STF based on a newer, developing, etc. communicationstandard, protocol, and/or recommended practice (shown as HE-STF(s),e.g., where HE again corresponds to high efficiency) followed by anotherat least one LTF based on a newer, developing, etc. communicationstandard, protocol, and/or recommended practice (shown as HE-LTF(s),e.g., where HE again corresponds to high efficiency) followed by atleast one packet extension followed by one or more fields.

FIG. 5E is a diagram illustrating another example 505 of at least oneportion of an OFDM/A packet. In this example 505, the preamble iscomposed of at least one field followed by at least one SIG thatcorresponds to a prior or legacy communication standard, protocol,and/or recommended practice relative to a newer, developing, etc.communication standard, protocol, and/or recommended practice (shown asL-SIG(s)) and optionally followed by a repeat (e.g., or cyclicallyshifted repeat) of the L-SIG(s) (shown as RL-SIG(s)) followed by anotherat least one SIG based on a newer, developing, etc. communicationstandard, protocol, and/or recommended practice (shown as HE-SIG-A,e.g., where HE again corresponds to high efficiency) followed by one ormore fields.

Note that information included in the various fields in the variousexamples provided herein may be encoded using various encoders. In someexamples, two independent binary convolutional code (BCC) encoders areimplemented to encode information corresponding to different respectivemodulation coding sets (MCSs) that are can be selected and/or optimizedwith respect to, among other things, the respective payload on therespective channel. Various communication channel examples are describedwith respect to FIG. 6D below.

Also, in some examples, a wireless communication device generatescontent that is included in the various SIGs (e.g., SIGA and/or SIGB) tosignal MCS(s) to one or more other wireless communication devices toinstruct which MCS(s) for those one or more other wireless communicationdevices to use with respect to one or more communications. In addition,in some examples, content included in a first at least one SIG (e.g.,SIGA) include information to specify at least one operational parameterfor use in processing a second at least one SIG (e.g., SIGB) within thesame OFDM/A packet.

Various OFDM/A frame structures are presented herein for use incommunications between wireless communication devices and specificallyshowing OFDM/A frame structures corresponding to one or more resourceunits (RUs). Such OFDM/A frame structures may include one or more RUs.Note that these various examples may include different total numbers ofsub-carriers, different numbers of data sub-carriers, different numbersof pilot sub-carriers, etc. Different RUs may also have different othercharacteristics (e.g., different spacing between the sub-carriers,different sub-carrier densities, implemented within different frequencybands, etc.).

FIG. 5F is a diagram illustrating an example 506 of selection amongdifferent OFDM/A frame structures for use in communications betweenwireless communication devices and specifically showing OFDM/A framestructures 350 corresponding to one or more resource units (RUs). Thisdiagram may be viewed as having some similarities to allocation ofsub-carriers to different users as shown in FIG. 4D and also shows howeach OFDM/A frame structure is associated with one or more RUs. Notethat these various examples may include different total numbers ofsub-carriers, different numbers of data sub-carriers, different numbersof pilot sub-carriers, etc. Different RUs may also have different othercharacteristics (e.g., different spacing between the sub-carriers,different sub-carrier densities, implemented within different frequencybands, etc.).

In one example, OFDM/A frame structure 1 351 is composed of at least oneRU 1 551. In another example, OFDM/A frame structure 1 351 is composedof at least one RU 1 551 and at least one RU 2 552. In another example,OFDM/A frame structure 1 351 is composed of at least one RU 1 551, atleast one RU 2 552, and at least one RU m 553. Similarly, the OFDM/Aframe structure 2 352 up through OFDM/A frame structure n 353 may becomposed of any combinations of the various RUs (e.g., including any oneor more RU selected from the RU 1 551 through RU m 553).

FIG. 5G is a diagram illustrating an example 507 of various types ofdifferent resource units (RUs). In this example 502, RU 1 551 includesA1 total sub-carrier(s), A2 data (D) sub-carrier(s), A3 pilot (P)sub-carrier(s), and A4 unused sub-carrier(s). RU 2 552 includes B1 totalsub-carrier(s), B2 D sub-carrier(s), B3 P sub-carrier(s), and B4 unusedsub-carrier(s). RU N 553 includes C1 total sub-carrier(s), C2 Dsub-carrier(s), C3 P sub-carrier(s), and C4 unused sub-carrier(s).

Considering the various RUs (e.g., across RU 1 551 to RU N 553), thetotal number of sub-carriers across the RUs increases from RU 1 551 toRU N 553 (e.g., A1<B1<C1). Also, considering the various RUs (e.g.,across RU 1 551 to RU N 553), the ratio of pilot sub-carriers to datasub-carriers across the RUs decreases from RU 1 551 to RU N 553 (e.g.,A3/A2>B3/B2>C3/C2).

In some examples, note that different RUs can include a different numberof total sub-carriers and a different number of data sub-carriers yetinclude a same number of pilot sub-carriers.

As can be seen, this disclosure presents various options for mapping ofdata and pilot sub-carriers (and sometimes unused sub-carriers thatinclude no modulation data or are devoid of modulation data) into OFDMAframes or packets (note that frame and packet may be usedinterchangeably herein) in various communications between communicationdevices including both the uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) such as withrespect to an access point (AP). Note that a user may generally beunderstood to be a wireless communication device implemented in awireless communication system (e.g., a wireless station (STA) or anaccess point (AP) within a wireless local area network (WLAN/WiFi)). Forexample, a user may be viewed as a given wireless communication device(e.g., a wireless station (STA) or an access point (AP), or anAP-operative STA within a wireless communication system). Thisdisclosure discussed localized mapping and distributed mapping of suchsub-carriers or tones with respect to different users in an OFDMAcontext (e.g., such as with respect to FIG. 4C and FIG. 4D includingallocation of sub-carriers to one or more users).

Some versions of the IEEE 802.11 standard have the following physicallayer (PHY) fast Fourier transform (FFT) sizes: 32, 64, 128, 256, 512.

These PHY FFT sizes are mapped to different bandwidths (BWs) (e.g.,which may be achieved using different downclocking ratios or factorsapplied to a first clock signal to generate different other clocksignals such as a second clock signal, a third clock signal, etc.). Inmany locations, this disclosure refers to FFT sizes instead of BW sinceFFT size determines a user's specific allocation of sub-carriers, RUs,etc. and the entire system BW using one or more mappings ofsub-carriers, RUs, etc.

This disclosure presents various ways by which the mapping of N users'data into the system BW tones (localized or distributed). For example,if the system BW uses 256 FFT, modulation data for 8 different users caneach use a 32 FFT, respectively. Alternatively, if the system BW uses256 FFT, modulation data for 4 different users can each use a 64 FFT,respectively. In another alternative, if the system BW uses 256 FFT,modulation data for 2 different users can each use a 128 FFT,respectively. Also, any number of other combinations is possible withunequal BW allocated to different users such as 32 FFT to 2 users, 64FFT for one user, and 128 FFT for the last user.

Localized mapping (e.g., contiguous sub-carrier allocations to differentusers such as with reference to FIG. 3D) is preferable for certainapplications such as low mobility users (e.g., that remain stationary orsubstantially stationary and whose location does not change frequently)since each user can be allocated to a sub-band based on at least onecharacteristic. An example of such a characteristic includes allocationto a sub-band that maximizes its performance (e.g., highest SNR orhighest capacity in multi-antenna system). The respective wirelesscommunication devices (users) receive frames or packets (e.g., beacons,null data packet (NDP), data, etc. and/or other frame or packet types)over the entire band and feedback their preferred sub-band or a list ofpreferred sub-bands. Alternatively, a first device (e.g., transmitter,AP, or STA) transmits at least one OFDMA packet to a secondcommunication device, and the second device (e.g., receiver, a STA, oranother STA) may be configured to measure the first device's initialtransmission occupying the entire band and choose a best/good orpreferable sub-band. The second device can be configured to transmit theselection of the information to the first device via feedback, etc.

In some examples, a device is configured to employ PHY designs for 32FFT, 64 FFT and 128 FFT as OFDMA blocks inside of a 256 FFT system BW.When this is done, there can be some unused sub-carriers (e.g., holes ofunused sub-carriers within the provisioned system BW being used). Thiscan also be the case for the lower FFT sizes. In some examples, when anFFT is an integer multiple of another, the larger FFT can be a duplicatea certain number of times of the smaller FFT (e.g., a 512 FFT can be anexact duplicate of two implementations of 256 FFT). In some examples,when using 256 FFT for system BW the available number of tones is 242that can be split among the various users that belong to the OFDMA frameor packet (DL or UL).

In some examples, a PHY design can leave gaps of sub-carriers betweenthe respective wireless communication devices (users) (e.g., unusedsub-carriers). For example, users 1 and 4 may each use a 32 FFTstructure occupying a total of 26×2=52 sub-carriers, user 2 may use a 64FFT occupying 56 sub-carriers and user 3 may use 128 FFT occupying 106sub-carriers adding up to a sum total of 214 sub-carriers leaving 28sub-carriers unused.

In another example, only 32 FFT users are multiplexed allowing up tonine (9) users with 242 sub-carriers−(9 users×26 RUs)=eight (8) unusedsub-carriers between the users. In yet another example, four (4) 64 FFTusers are multiplexed with 242 sub-carriers−(4 users×56 RUs)=18 unusedsub-carriers.

The unused sub-carriers can be used to provide better separation betweenusers especially in the UL where users' energy can spill into each otherdue to imperfect time/frequency/power synchronization creatinginter-carrier interference (ICI).

FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating another example 601 of various typesof different RUs. In this example 601, RU 1 includes X1 totalsub-carrier(s), X2 data (D) sub-carrier(s), X3 pilot (P) sub-carrier(s),and X4 unused sub-carrier(s). RU 2 includes Y1 total sub-carrier(s), Y2D sub-carrier(s), Y3 P sub-carrier(s), and Y4 unused sub-carrier(s). RUq includes Z1 total sub-carrier(s), Z2 D sub-carrier(s), Z3 Psub-carrier(s), and Z4 unused sub-carrier(s). In this example 601, notethat different RUs can include different spacing between thesub-carriers, different sub-carrier densities, implemented withindifferent frequency bands, span different ranges within at least onefrequency band, etc.

FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating another example 602 of various typesof different RUs. This diagram shows RU 1 that includes 26 contiguoussub-carriers that include 24 data sub-carriers, and 2 pilotsub-carriers; RU 2 that includes 52 contiguous sub-carriers that include48 data sub-carriers, and 4 pilot sub-carriers; RU 3 that includes 106contiguous sub-carriers that include 102 data sub-carriers, and 4 pilotsub-carriers; RU 4 that includes 242 contiguous sub-carriers thatinclude 234 data sub-carriers, and 8 pilot sub-carriers; RU 5 thatincludes 484 contiguous sub-carriers that include 468 data sub-carriers,and 16 pilot sub-carriers; and RU 6 that includes 996 contiguoussub-carriers that include 980 data sub-carriers, and 16 pilotsub-carriers.

Note that RU 2 and RU 3 include a first/same number of pilotsub-carriers (e.g., 4 pilot sub-carriers each), and RU 5 and RU 6include a second/same number of pilot sub-carriers (e.g., 16 pilotsub-carriers each). The number of pilot sub-carriers remains same orincreases across the RUs. Note also that some of the RUs include aninteger multiple number of sub-carriers of other RUs (e.g., RU 2includes 52 total sub-carriers, which is 2× the 26 total sub-carriers ofRU 1, and RU 5 includes 484 total sub-carriers, which is 2× the 242total sub-carriers of RU 4).

FIG. 6C is a diagram illustrating an example 603 of various types ofcommunication protocol specified physical layer (PHY) fast Fouriertransform (FFT) sizes. The device 310 is configured to generate andtransmit OFDMA packets based on various PHY FFT sizes as specifiedwithin at least one communication protocol. Some examples of PHY FFTsizes, such as based on IEEE 802.11, include PHY FFT sizes such as 32,64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, and/or other sizes.

In one example, the device 310 is configured to generate and transmit anOFDMA packet based on RU 1 that includes 26 contiguous sub-carriers thatinclude 24 data sub-carriers, and 2 pilot sub-carriers and to transmitthat OFDMA packet based on a PHY FFT 32 (e.g., the RU 1 fits within thePHY FFT 32). In one example, the device 310 is configured to generateand transmit an OFDMA packet based on RU 2 that includes 52 contiguoussub-carriers that include 48 data sub-carriers, and 4 pilot sub-carriersand to transmit that OFDMA packet based on a PHY FFT 56 (e.g., the RU 2fits within the PHY FFT 56). The device 310 uses other sized RUs forother sized PHY FFTs based on at least one communication protocol.

Note also that any combination of RUs may be used. In another example,the device 310 is configured to generate and transmit an OFDMA packetbased on two RUs based on RU 1 and one RU based on RU 2 based on a PHYFFT 128 (e.g., two RUs based on RU 1 and one RU based on RU 2 includes atotal of 104 sub-carriers). The device 310 is configured to generate andtransmit any OFDMA packets based on any combination of RUs that can fitwithin an appropriately selected PHY FFT size of at least onecommunication protocol.

Note also that any given RU may be sub-divided or partitioned intosubsets of sub-carriers to carry modulation data for one or more users(e.g., such as with respect to FIG. 3C or FIG. 3D).

FIG. 6D is a diagram illustrating an example 604 of different channelbandwidths and relationship there between. In one example, a device(e.g., the device 310) is configured to generate and transmit any OFDMApacket based on any of a number of OFDMA frame structures within variouscommunication channels having various channel bandwidths. For example, a160 MHz channel may be subdivided into two 80 MHz channels. An 80 MHzchannel may be subdivided into two 40 MHz channels. A 40 MHz channel maybe subdivided into two 20 MHz channels. Note also such channels may belocated within the same frequency band, the same frequency sub-band oralternatively among different frequency bands, different frequencysub-bands, etc.

Operation in accordance with certain standards, protocols, and/orrecommended practices (e.g., including the developing IEEE 802.11ax),operation is supported for preamble puncturing for 80 MHz, 160 MHz and80+80 MHz transmission bandwidth (BW). For example, such an operationalmode enables a transmitter wireless communication device (e.g., anaccess point (AP), an AP-operative STA, etc.) not to transmit on one ormore 20 MHz sub-channels therein. For example, this may include thetransmitter wireless communication device configured to transmit on only60 MHz in a 80 MHz BW (e.g., using only 3 of the 20 MHz sub-channels ofthe 80 MHz BW, and note the 60 MHz may be contiguous or non-contiguoussuch that the 3 of the 20 MHz sub-channels of the 80 MHz BW may be 3consecutive/adjacent 20 MHz sub-channels or there may be 1 20 MHzsub-channel that is punctured or unused in between 2 of the 20 MHzsub-channels). In some examples, the transmitter wireless communicationdevice is configured to transmit a null data packet (NDP) (e.g., such asmay be used in accordance with channel characterization, channelestimation, etc.).

However, note that certain standards, protocols, and/or recommendedpractices and associated NDP designs that are used to enable a receiverwireless communication device (e.g., wireless station (STA), etc.) toestimate the channel in order to enable transmit beamforming anddownlink (DL) multiple-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MU-MIMO) donot support preamble puncturing (e.g., not using one or more of the 20MHz sub-channels of an 80 MHz BW, a 160 MHz BW, and/or an 80+80 MHz BW,etc.). As such, the operation in accordance with a preamble puncturingmode may be limited in performance in many cases.

This disclosure presents, among other things, various new designs for apunctured NDP to be transmitted from a first wireless communicationdevice to one or more other wireless communication devices (e.g., suchas may be used in accordance with channel characterization, channelestimation, etc.).

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating another example 700 of differentchannel bandwidths and relationship there between. This diagram shows a320 MHz BW that may be viewed as being subdivided into multipledifferent sub-portions, sub-channels, sub-bands, etc. including 4 80 MHzBWs, 8 40 MHz BWs, 16 20 MHz BWs. Also shown, is a diagram with a 160MHz BW that may be viewed as being subdivided into multiple differentsub-portions, sub-channels, sub-bands, etc. including 2 80 MHz BWs, 4 40MHz BWs, 8 20 MHz BWs. In accordance with preamble puncturing, one ormore of the sub-portions, sub-channels, sub-bands, etc. are not used totransmit information. For example, considering the 8 20 MHz BWs of the160 MHz BW, one or more of those 20 MHz BWs are not used (e.g., noinformation is sent therein, no energy is modulated therein, etc.). Ingeneral, n (where n is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equalto 7) of the 8 20 MHz BWs or a 160 MHz BW is not used in accordance withtransmission of an NDP. Alternatively, m (where m is greater than orequal to 1 and less than or equal to 3) of the 4 20 MHz BWs or an 80 MHzBW is not used in accordance with transmission of an NDP. Similarly,other sub-portions, sub-channels, sub-bands, etc. or other sub-dividedportion(s) of a communication channel bandwidth may not be used inaccordance with transmission of an NDP from a transmitter wirelesscommunication device to one or more other receiver wirelesscommunication devices.

Various options are presented below.

Option 1:

This option uses an NDP structure (e.g., using the single user (SU) longformat, such as in accordance with certain standards, protocols, and/orrecommended practices (e.g., including the developing IEEE 802.11ax))but avoids sending energy on the punctured 20 MHz sub channel(s). Inthis option, the receiver wireless communication device does not knowthat the NDP was punctured and estimates the channel across the entireBW (e.g., across an entire 80 MHz channel, an entire 160 MHz channel, anentire 80+80 MHz channel, etc.). The transmitter wireless communicationdevice knows to ignore the values corresponding to the punctured 20 MHzsub channel(s). For example, as the receiver wireless communicationdevice (e.g., a STA, etc.) provides feedback to the transmitter wirelesscommunication device (e.g., an AP, an AP-operative STA, etc.), and thetransmitter wireless communication device (e.g., an AP, an AP-operativeSTA, etc.) ignores the feedback associated with the punctured portion ofthe NDP transmission previously sent from the transmitter wirelesscommunication device (e.g., an AP, an AP-operative STA, etc.) to thereceiver wireless communication device (e.g., a STA, etc.).

A specific design is as follows, for each 80 MHz:

(1) If one or more of the outer 20 MHz need to be punctured then the NDPtones (HE short training field (STF) and HE long training field (LTF))that fall in the respective 242 RU location are punctured.

(2) If one or more of the inner 20 MHz need to be punctured then the NDPtones (HE STF and HE LTF) that fall in the respective 242 RU+center 26RU are punctured.

Option 2:

1. Uses an unmodified Multi-user (MU) preamble format (note that this iseasily differentiated from certain designs such as in accordance withcertain standards, protocols, and/or recommended practices (e.g.,including the developing IEEE 802.11ax))

2. The receiver does know which 20 MHz sub channels are punctured

3. Uses SIGA to signal one of the preamble puncturing options

4. Uses SIGB common field to signal center 26 RU+242 RU for those 20 MHzsub channels that are occupied (these are the only allowed signalingcombinations)

5. SIGB uses MCS0 (modulation & coding set/rate (MCS) of value 0) withduration 2 symbols—user fields are minimized to padding

-   -   a. For 80 MHz—the common field duration is 27 bits    -   b. For 160/80+80—the common field duration is 43 bits

Option 3:

1. Uses the MU preamble format without SIGB_(receiver infers this modeby looking at the duration field in LSIG)

2. The receiver does know which 20 MHz sub channels are punctured

3. Uses SIGA to signal one of the preamble puncturing options

4. Uses the TXOP 7 bit field to signal which of the 7 non-primary 20 MHzchannel are occupied (other fields could be used instead of the transmitopportunity (TXOP) field)

5. Uses other fields to signal whether center 26 RU is present or not(need one bit for 80 MHz and 2 bits for 160 MHz)

In certain of the following diagrams, the explicitly shown individualsub-carriers represent null tone/sub-carriers (e.g., those that includeno data/information modulated thereon). Also, different respective RUsare shown in the various OFDMA tone/sub-carrier plans of the followingdiagrams such that the number shown in the diagram for a given RU (e.g.,13, 26, 52, 106, 242, 484, 994, 996, etc.) indicates the number ofsub-carriers therein (e.g., an RU 13 includes 13 sub-carriers, eachbeing one-half of a RU 26 that includes 13 sub-carriers; an RU 26includes 26 sub-carriers; an RU 52 includes 52 sub-carriers, and so on).Note the DC denotes the center of the OFDMA sub-carriers of a givenOFDMA tone/sub-carrier plan (e.g., the center frequency of a givencommunication channel and/or those sub-carriers substantially locatednear the center of the OFDMA sub-carriers, with the horizontal axisshowing frequency, sub-carriers (SCs), and/or bandwidth (BW)). Also,note that each respective OFDMA tone/sub-carrier plan includes multiplesub-carrier (SC) sub-plans depicted in various levels. Generally, whendescending in a given OFDMA tone/sub-carrier plan, the size of therespective RUs therein increases. Note that a given SC sub-plan mayinclude RUs of one or two or more different sized-RUs.

FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating an example 801 of an OFDMAtone/sub-carrier plan. This diagram shows an OFDMA tone/sub-carrier planwith 4 SC sub-plans. A 1^(st) SC sub-plan includes multiple RUs thatincludes 26 sub-carriers and one sized 26 RU that is split across DC(e.g., with one respective RU that includes 13 sub-carriers on each sideof DC). A 2^(nd) SC sub-plan includes multiple RUs that includes 52sub-carriers and one sized 26 RU that is split across DC (e.g., with onerespective RU that includes 13 sub-carriers on each side of DC); notethat each RU 52 includes those sub-carriers directly included above in 2RU 26 located directly above in the 1^(st) SC sub-plan. A 3^(rd) SCsub-plan includes multiple RUs that includes 106 sub-carriers and onesized 26 RU that is split across DC (e.g., with one respective RU thatincludes 13 sub-carriers on each side of DC); note that each RU 106includes those sub-carriers directly included above in 2 RU 52 locateddirectly as well as 2 null sub-carriers located above in the 2^(nd) SCsub-plan. A 4^(th) SC sub-plan includes one RU that includes 242sub-carriers and spans the OFDMA sub-carriers. In some examples, theOFDMA tone/sub-carrier plan of this diagram is based on a communicationchannel having a bandwidth of 20 MHz. In such a 20 MHz implementation,the unused sub-carrier locations for 26 tones RU (positive and negativeindices) are as follows: 2, 3, 69, 122. As for construction of the OFDMAtone/sub-carrier plan in a 20 MHz implementation, RU-106 aligns with twoRU-52 with one unused tone at end and one in the middle.

Note that analogous and similar principles of design are used in thefollowing OFDMA tone/sub-carrier plans. The details are shown in thediagrams showing symmetry, construction, design, etc. of the variousOFDMA tone/sub-carrier plans.

FIG. 8B is a diagram illustrating another example 802 of an OFDMAtone/sub-carrier plan. This diagram shows an OFDMA tone/sub-carrier planwith 5 SC sub-plans. Details are shown in the diagram. In some examples,the OFDMA tone/sub-carrier plan of this diagram is based on acommunication channel having a bandwidth of 40 MHz. In such a 40 MHzimplementation, the unused sub-carrier locations for 26 tones RU(positive and negative indices) are as follows: 3, 56, 57, 110, 137,190, 191, 244, where 56 indicates modulo 8.

FIG. 9A is a diagram illustrating another example 901 of an OFDMAtone/sub-carrier plan. This diagram shows an OFDMA tone/sub-carrier planwith 6 SC sub-plans. Details are shown in the diagram. In some examples,the OFDMA tone/sub-carrier plan of this diagram is based on acommunication channel having a bandwidth of 80 MHz. In such an 80 MHzimplementation, the unused sub-carrier locations for 26 tones RU(positive and negative indices) are as follows: 17, 70, 71, 124, 151,204, 205, 258, 259, 312, 313, 366, 393, 446, 447, 500, where 312indicates modulo 8.

As for construction of the OFDMA tone/sub-carrier plan in a 40 MHzimplementation, the design involves spreading unused tones for RU-26 andkeeping alignment of two RU-26 with RU-52. As for construction of theOFDMA tone/sub-carrier plan in a 80 MHz implementation relative to the40 MHz implementation, the design involves no change except adding aRU-26 in center of band (e.g., split into two separate RU-13 on eachside of DC).

FIG. 9B is a diagram illustrating another example 902 of an OFDMAtone/sub-carrier plan. This diagram shows an OFDMA tone/sub-carrier planwith 6 SC sub-plans. Details are shown in the diagram. In some examples,the OFDMA tone/sub-carrier plan of this diagram is based on acommunication channel having a bandwidth of 160 MHz, and this OFDMAtone/sub-carrier plan includes the OFDMA sub-carrier plan of FIG. 9Ashown in the left hand side and the right hand side of DC across thecommunication channel having the bandwidth of 160 MHz.

Certain of the various OFDMA tone/sub-carrier plans include a firstOFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan that includes first RUs of a firstsub-carrier size and first null sub-carriers that are distributed acrossthe OFDMA sub-carriers as well as a second OFDMA sub-carrier sub-planthat includes second RUs of a second sub-carrier size that are greaterthan the first sub-carrier size and a second null sub-carriers that aredistributed across the OFDMA sub-carriers such that the second nullsub-carriers are located in common locations as the first nullsub-carriers within the OFDMA sub-carriers.

In some OFDMA tone/sub-carrier plan examples, within the first OFDMAsub-carrier sub-plan of the OFDMA sub-carrier plan, the first nullsub-carriers of the first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan are interspersedamong the first RUs of the first sub-carrier size. Also, a first nullsub-carrier of the first null sub-carriers is located at a beginning ofthe OFDMA sub-carriers, and a second null sub-carrier of the first nullsub-carriers is located at an end of the OFDMA sub-carriers. Also, atleast one null sub-carrier of the first null sub-carriers is locatedbetween two RUs of the first RUs of the first sub-carrier size.

Also, in some OFDMA tone/sub-carrier plan examples, within the secondOFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan of the OFDMA sub-carrier plan, the secondnull sub-carriers are interspersed among the second RUs of the secondsub-carrier size that is greater than the first sub-carrier size. Also,a first null sub-carrier of the second null sub-carriers is located atthe beginning of the OFDMA sub-carriers (e.g., on one edge of the OFDMAsub-carriers), and a second null sub-carrier of the second nullsub-carriers is located at the end of the OFDMA sub-carriers (e.g., onanother edge of the OFDMA sub-carriers). The null subcarriers arelocated near the DC or edge tones to provide protection from transmitcenter frequency leakage, receiver DC offset, and interference fromneighboring RUs. The null subcarriers have zero energy. Also, at leastone null sub-carrier of the second null sub-carriers is located betweentwo RUs of the second RUs of the second sub-carrier size, and the secondnull sub-carriers includes a same number of null sub-carriers as thefirst null sub-carriers (the first and second null sub-carriers includea same number of sub-carriers and are commonly located). The nullsub-carriers locations for each 80 MHz frequency segment of a 160 MHz or80+80 MHz HE PPDU (Physical layer convergence protocol Protocol DataUnit) shall follow the locations of an 80 MHz HE PPDU.

Also, in some OFDMA tone/sub-carrier plan examples, within a third OFDMAsub-carrier sub-plan of the OFDMA sub-carrier plan, third RUs of a thirdsub-carrier size that is greater than the second sub-carrier size andthird null sub-carriers are distributed across the OFDMA sub-carriers.Also, the third null sub-carriers are interspersed among the third RUsof the third sub-carrier size that is greater than the secondsub-carrier size, and the third null sub-carriers includes fewer nullsub-carriers than the first null sub-carriers.

In certain specific implementations, the first RUs of the firstsub-carrier size includes 26 OFDMA sub-carriers, the second RUs of thesecond sub-carrier size includes 52 OFDMA sub-carriers, and the thirdRUs of the third sub-carrier size includes 106 OFDMA sub-carriers. Inaddition, other RUs of different RU sizes may be included (e.g.,including 242, 484, 994 and/or 996 sized RUs).

Also, in some examples, the first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan includesthe first RUs of the first sub-carrier size, the first nullsub-carriers, and at least one other RU that is one-half the firstsub-carrier size that are distributed across the OFDMA sub-carriers.Also, the second OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan includes the second RUs ofthe second sub-carrier size that is greater than the first sub-carriersize, the second null sub-carriers, and at least one other RU that isone-half the second sub-carrier size that are distributed across theOFDMA sub-carriers.

In some examples, certain design principles include trying to distributethe null/unused sub-carriers/tones throughout an OFDMA sub-carrier plan.For example, such a design spread the null/unused sub-carriers/tonesuniformly (e.g., substantially and/or approximately) among therelatively smaller sizes RUs. Also, the design operates not to changelocations (e.g., to maintain locations of null/unused sub-carriers/tonesas much as possible) as the RU sizes decrease as going upwards in theOFDMA sub-carrier plans (e.g., including keeping the null/unused tonesabove locations identical from below).

FIG. 10A is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method 1001 forexecution by one or more wireless communication devices. The method 1001begins, in block 1010, by generating a null data packet (NDP). NDPs areused to enable a receiver wireless communication device (e.g., wirelessstation (STA), etc.) to estimate characteristics of a communicationschannel in order to enable transmit beamforming and downlink (DL)multiple-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MU-MIMO).

The method 1001, in block 1020, continues by transmitting at least aportion of the NDP to another wireless communication device via fewerthan all of a plurality of sub-channels of a communication channel. Inthis case, the NDP has been punctured (fewer than all). For example, asshown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the punctured null/unused sub-carriers/tonesare distributed throughout an OFDMA sub-carrier plan.

The method 1001, in block 1030, continues by receiving feedback from theanother wireless communication device that is based on the anotherwireless communication device (WDEV) processing at least a portion ofthe NDP that is received via the fewer than all of the plurality ofsub-channels of the communication channel.

In one example embodiment, the feedback includes an estimate of channelcharacteristics estimated across the entire bandwidth, without thereceiver being aware that an NDP was received punctured (with fewer thanall of the plurality of sub-channels of the communication channel).

In one example embodiment, the communication channel includes a 320 MHzcommunication channel and a plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes 16 20 MHz sub-channels (see FIG. 7, upperleft) and the fewer than all of the plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes n of the 16 20 MHz sub-channels, whereinn is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 15.

In one example embodiment, the communication channel includes a 160 MHzcommunication channel and a plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes 8 20 MHz sub-channels (see FIG. 7, lowerleft) and the fewer than all of the plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes n of the 8 20 MHz sub-channels, wherein nis greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 7.

In another example embodiment, the communication channel includes an 80MHz communication channel and a plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes 4 20 MHz sub-channels (See FIG. 7, lowerright) and the fewer than all of the plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes n of the 4 20 MHz sub-channels, wherein nis greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 3.

In another example embodiment, generating the NDP provides at least onefield therein that includes information to specify a preamble puncturingoption. More specifically, the at least one field includes a signalfield (SIG) that includes the information to specify the preamblepuncturing option (see FIG. 5A-5E). For example, SIGA can be used tosignal one puncturing options and SIGB common field used to signalcenter 26RU+242RU for those 20 MHz sub channels that are occupied. SIGBuses MCS0 with duration 2 symbols—user fields are minimized to padding.

In another example embodiment, the wireless communication devicetransmits a designation of the punctured 20 MHz channels in a packetpreceding the transmission of at least a portion of the NDP from thewireless communication device to the another wireless communicationdevice. Therefore, in this embodiment the receiver does know which 20MHz sub channels are punctured.

In another example embodiment, generating the NDP provides at least onefield that includes a transmit opportunity (TXOP) field that includesthe information to specify the preamble puncturing option. For example,a transmitting wireless communication device uses the MU preamble formatwithout SIGB (receiver infers this mode by looking at a duration fieldin LSIG). Therefore, the receiver does know which 20 MHz sub channelsare punctured. SIGA can signal one of the preamble puncturing optionswith the TXOP 7 bit field used to signal which of the 7 non-primary 20MHz channel are occupied.

In another example embodiment, the communication interface (FIG. 2B) isconfigured to support communications within at least one of a satellitecommunication system, a wireless communication system, a wiredcommunication system, a fiber-optic communication system, or a mobilecommunication system.

FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method 1002 forexecution by one or more wireless communication devices. The method 1002begins, in block 1040, by receiving a null data packet (NDP). NDPs areused to enable a receiver wireless communication device (e.g., wirelessstation (STA), etc.) to estimate characteristics of a communicationschannel in order to enable transmit beamforming and downlink (DL)multiple-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MU-MIMO).

The method 1002, in block 1050, continues by the receiver of thepunctured NDP estimating characteristics of the communication channelbased on processing the received portion of the NDP across an entirebandwidth of the communication channel.

The method 1002, in block 1060, continues by transmitting, as feedback,the estimate of the communication channel's characteristics back to thesender (e.g., another wireless communication device).

In one example embodiment, the receiver is not aware that the receivedNDP was received punctured (i.e., with fewer than all of the pluralityof sub-channels of the communication channel).

In one example embodiment, the communication channel includes a 320 MHzcommunication channel and a plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes 16 20 MHz sub-channels (see FIG. 7, upperleft) and the fewer than all of the plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes n of the 16 20 MHz sub-channels, whereinn is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 15.

In one example embodiment, the communication channel includes a 160 MHzcommunication channel and a plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes 8 20 MHz sub-channels (see FIG. 7, lowerleft) and the fewer than all of the plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes n of the 8 20 MHz sub-channels, wherein nis greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 7.

In another example embodiment, the communication channel includes an 80MHz communication channel and a plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes 4 20 MHz sub-channels (See FIG. 7, lowerright) and the fewer than all of the plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes n of the 4 20 MHz sub-channels, wherein nis greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 3.

In another example embodiment, the received NDP provides at least onefield therein that includes information to specify a preamble puncturingoption. More specifically, the at least one field includes a signalfield (SIG) that includes the information to specify the preamblepuncturing option (see FIG. 5A-5E). For example, SIGA can be used tosignal one puncturing options and SIGB common field used to signalcenter 26RU+242RU for those 20 MHz sub channels that are occupied. SIGBuses MCS0 with duration 2 symbols—user fields are minimized to padding.

In another example embodiment, the receiver (e.g., wirelesscommunication device) receives, from another wireless communicationdevice, a packet preceding a received NDP designating the punctured 20MHz channels. Therefore, in this embodiment the receiver does know which20 MHz sub channels are punctured.

In another example embodiment, the NDP provides at least one field thatincludes a transmit opportunity (TXOP) field that includes theinformation to specify the preamble puncturing option. For example, atransmitting wireless communication device uses the MU preamble formatwithout SIGB (receiver infers this mode by looking at a duration fieldin LSIG). Therefore, in this embodiment the receiver does know which 20MHz sub channels are punctured. SIGA can signal one of the preamblepuncturing options with the TXOP 7 bit field used to signal which of the7 non-primary 20 MHz channel are occupied.

It is noted that the various operations and functions described withinvarious methods herein may be performed within a wireless communicationdevice (e.g., such as by the processing circuitry 330, communicationinterface 320, and memory 340 or other configuration of circuitries suchas SOC 330 a and/or processing-memory circuitry 330 b such as describedwith reference to FIG. 2B) and/or other components therein. Generally, acommunication interface and processing circuitry (or alternativelyprocessing circuitry that includes communication interfacefunctionality, components, circuitry, etc.) in a wireless communicationdevice can perform such operations.

Examples of some components may include one or more baseband processingmodules, one or more media access control (MAC) layer components, one ormore physical layer (PHY) components, and/or other components, etc. Forexample, such processing circuitry can perform baseband processingoperations and can operate in conjunction with a radio, analog front end(AFE), etc. The processing circuitry can generate such signals, packets,frames, and/or equivalents etc. as described herein as well as performvarious operations described herein and/or their respective equivalents.

In some embodiments, such a baseband processing module and/or aprocessing module (which may be implemented in the same device orseparate devices) can perform such processing to generate signals fortransmission to another wireless communication device using any numberof radios and antennas. In some embodiments, such processing isperformed cooperatively by processing circuitry in a first device andanother processing circuitry within a second device. In otherembodiments, such processing is performed wholly by processing circuitrywithin one device.

As may be used herein, the terms “substantially” and “approximately”provides an industry-accepted tolerance for its corresponding termand/or relativity between items. Such an industry-accepted toleranceranges from less than one percent to fifty percent and corresponds to,but is not limited to, component values, integrated circuit processvariations, temperature variations, rise and fall times, and/or thermalnoise. Such relativity between items ranges from a difference of a fewpercent to magnitude differences. As may also be used herein, theterm(s) “configured to,” “operably coupled to,” “coupled to,” and/or“coupling” includes direct coupling between items and/or indirectcoupling between items via an intervening item (e.g., an item includes,but is not limited to, a component, an element, a circuit, and/or amodule) where, for an example of indirect coupling, the intervening itemdoes not modify the information of a signal but may adjust its currentlevel, voltage level, and/or power level. As may further be used herein,inferred coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another elementby inference) includes direct and indirect coupling between two items inthe same manner as “coupled to”. As may even further be used herein, theterm “configured to,” “operable to,” “coupled to,” or “operably coupledto” indicates that an item includes one or more of power connections,input(s), output(s), etc., to perform, when activated, one or more itscorresponding functions and may further include inferred coupling to oneor more other items. As may still further be used herein, the term“associated with,” includes direct and/or indirect coupling of separateitems and/or one item being embedded within another item.

As may be used herein, the term “compares favorably” or equivalent,indicates that a comparison between two or more items, signals, etc.,provides a desired relationship. For example, when the desiredrelationship is that signal 1 has a greater magnitude than signal 2, afavorable comparison may be achieved when the magnitude of signal 1 isgreater than that of signal 2 or when the magnitude of signal 2 is lessthan that of signal 1.

As may also be used herein, the terms “processing module,” “processingcircuit,” “processor,” and/or “processing unit” or their equivalents maybe a single processing device or a plurality of processing devices. Sucha processing device may be a microprocessor, micro-controller, digitalsignal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, fieldprogrammable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logiccircuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device thatmanipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of thecircuitry and/or operational instructions. The processing module,module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit may be, or furtherinclude, memory and/or an integrated memory element, which may be asingle memory device, a plurality of memory devices, and/or embeddedcircuitry of another processing module, module, processing circuit,and/or processing unit. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory,random access memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, staticmemory, dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or any devicethat stores digital information. Note that if the processing module,module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit includes more thanone processing device, the processing devices may be centrally located(e.g., directly coupled together via a wired and/or wireless busstructure) or may be distributedly located (e.g., cloud computing viaindirect coupling via a local area network and/or a wide area network).Further note that if the processing module, module, processing circuit,and/or processing unit implements one or more of its functions via astate machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logiccircuitry, the memory and/or memory element storing the correspondingoperational instructions may be embedded within, or external to, thecircuitry comprising the state machine, analog circuitry, digitalcircuitry, and/or logic circuitry. Still further note that, the memoryelement may store, and the processing module, module, processingcircuit, and/or processing unit executes, hard coded and/or operationalinstructions corresponding to at least some of the steps and/orfunctions illustrated in one or more of the Figures. Such a memorydevice or memory element can be included in an article of manufacture.

One or more embodiments of an invention have been described above withthe aid of method steps illustrating the performance of specifiedfunctions and relationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence ofthese functional building blocks and method steps have been arbitrarilydefined herein for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries andsequences can be defined so long as the specified functions andrelationships are appropriately performed. Any such alternate boundariesor sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claims.Further, the boundaries of these functional building blocks have beenarbitrarily defined for convenience of description. Alternate boundariescould be defined as long as the certain significant functions areappropriately performed. Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also havebeen arbitrarily defined herein to illustrate certain significantfunctionality. To the extent used, the flow diagram block boundaries andsequence could have been defined otherwise and still perform the certainsignificant functionality. Such alternate definitions of both functionalbuilding blocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus withinthe scope and spirit of the claimed invention. One of average skill inthe art will also recognize that the functional building blocks, andother illustrative blocks, modules and components herein, can beimplemented as illustrated or by discrete components, applicationspecific integrated circuits, processing circuitries, processorsexecuting appropriate software and the like or any combination thereof.

The one or more embodiments are used herein to illustrate one or moreaspects, one or more features, one or more concepts, and/or one or moreexamples of the invention. A physical embodiment of an apparatus, anarticle of manufacture, a machine, and/or of a process may include oneor more of the aspects, features, concepts, examples, etc. describedwith reference to one or more of the embodiments discussed herein.Further, from figure to figure, the embodiments may incorporate the sameor similarly named functions, steps, modules, etc. that may use the sameor different reference numbers and, as such, the functions, steps,modules, etc. may be the same or similar functions, steps, modules, etc.or different ones.

Unless specifically stated to the contra, signals to, from, and/orbetween elements in a figure of any of the figures presented herein maybe analog or digital, continuous time or discrete time, and single-endedor differential. For instance, if a signal path is shown as asingle-ended path, it also represents a differential signal path.Similarly, if a signal path is shown as a differential path, it alsorepresents a single-ended signal path. While one or more particulararchitectures are described herein, other architectures can likewise beimplemented that use one or more data buses not expressly shown, directconnectivity between elements, and/or indirect coupling between otherelements as recognized by one of average skill in the art.

The term “module” is used in the description of one or more of theembodiments. A module includes a processing module, a processor, afunctional block, processing circuitry, hardware, and/or memory thatstores operational instructions for performing one or more functions asmay be described herein. Note that, if the module is implemented viahardware, the hardware may operate independently and/or in conjunctionwith software and/or firmware. As also used herein, a module may containone or more sub-modules, each of which may be one or more modules.

While particular combinations of various functions and features of theone or more embodiments have been expressly described herein, othercombinations of these features and functions are likewise possible. Thepresent disclosure of an invention is not limited by the particularexamples disclosed herein and expressly incorporates these othercombinations.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wireless communication device comprising: acommunication interface; and processing circuitry that is coupled to thecommunication interface, wherein at least one of the communicationinterface or the processing circuitry configured to: generate a nulldata packet (NDP) comprising at least one field therein that includesinformation to specify a preamble puncturing option; transmit at least aportion of the NDP to another wireless communication device via a firstsubset of a plurality of sub-channels of a communication channel,wherein a second subset of the plurality of the sub-channels is unusedby the transmission; receive feedback from the another wirelesscommunication device that is based on the another wireless communicationdevice processing the at least the portion of the NDP that is receivedvia the first subset of the plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel; and process the feedback from the anotherwireless communication device including to ignore another portion of thefeedback from the another wireless communication device that correspondsto at least one of the plurality of sub-channels of the communicationchannel that is unused by the wireless communication device to transmitthe at least the portion of the NDP to the another wirelesscommunication device.
 2. The wireless communication device of claim 1,wherein: the communication channel includes a 320 MHz communicationchannel; the plurality of sub-channels of the communication channelincludes sixteen 20 MHz sub-channels; and the first subset of theplurality of sub-channels of the communication channel includes n of thesixteen 20 MHz sub-channels, wherein n is greater than or equal to 1 andless than or equal to
 15. 3. The wireless communication device of claim1, wherein: the communication channel includes a 160 MHz communicationchannel; the plurality of sub-channels of the communication channelincludes eight 20 MHz sub-channels; and the first subset of theplurality of sub-channels of the communication channel includes n of theeight 20 MHz sub-channels, wherein n is greater than or equal to 1 andless than or equal to
 7. 4. The wireless communication device of claim1, wherein: the communication channel includes an 80 MHz communicationchannel; the plurality of sub-channels of the communication channelincludes four 20 MHz sub-channels; and the first subset of the pluralityof sub-channels of the communication channel includes n of the four 20MHz sub-channels, wherein n is greater than or equal to 1 and less thanor equal to
 3. 5. The wireless communication device of claim 1 furthercomprising: the communication interface configured to supportcommunications within at least one of a satellite communication system,a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, afiber-optic communication system, or a mobile communication system. 6.The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the first subsetof a plurality of sub-channels of a communication channel includespunctured 20 MHz channels and the wireless communication devicetransmits a designation of the punctured 20 MHz channels in a packetpreceding the transmission of at least a portion of the NDP from thewireless communication device to the another wireless communicationdevice.
 7. A method for execution by a wireless communication device,the method comprising: generating a null data packet (NDP);transmitting, via a communication interface of the wirelesscommunication device, at least a portion of the NDP to another wirelesscommunication device a first subset of a plurality of sub-channels of acommunication channel, wherein a second subset of the plurality of thesub-channels is unused; receiving, via a communication interface of thewireless communication device, feedback from the another wirelesscommunication device that is based on the another wireless communicationdevice processing the at least the portion of the NDP that is receivedvia the first subset of the plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel; and ignoring a portion of the feedback from theanother wireless communication device that corresponds to at least oneof the second subset of the plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel that is unused by the wireless communicationdevice to transmit the at least the portion of the NDP to the anotherwireless communication device.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein: thecommunication channel includes a 320 MHz communication channel; theplurality of sub-channels of the communication channel includes sixteen20 MHz sub-channels; and the first subset of the plurality ofsub-channels of the communication channel includes n of the sixteen 20MHz sub-channels, wherein n is greater than or equal to 1 and less thanor equal to
 15. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein: the communicationchannel includes a 160 MHz communication channel; the plurality ofsub-channels of the communication channel includes eight 20 MHzsub-channels; and the first subset of the plurality of sub-channels ofthe communication channel includes n of the eight 20 MHz sub-channels,wherein n is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to
 7. 10.The method of claim 7, wherein: the communication channel includes an 80MHz communication channel; the plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes four 20 MHz sub-channels; and the firstsubset of the plurality of sub-channels of the communication channelincludes n of the four 20 MHz sub-channels, wherein n is greater than orequal to 1 and less than or equal to
 3. 11. The method of claim 7,wherein the first subset of a plurality of sub-channels of acommunication channel includes punctured 20 MHz channels and the methodfurther comprises transmitting a designation of the punctured 20 MHzchannels in a preceding packet before the transmission of at least aportion of the NDP.
 12. A wireless communication device comprising: acommunication interface; and processing circuitry that is coupled to thecommunication interface, wherein at least one of the communicationinterface or the processing circuitry configured to: receive, fromanother wireless communication device, a packet designating a firstsubset of a plurality of sub-channels of a communication channelcomprising punctured 20 MHz channels; subsequently receive a null datapacket (NDP) from the another wireless communication device via thefirst subset of the plurality of sub-channels, wherein a second subsetof the plurality of the sub-channels is unused; estimate characteristicsof the communication channel, based on processing the received portionof the NDP, across an entire bandwidth of the communication channel; andtransmit the estimate as feedback to the another wireless communicationdevice, receipt of the feedback causing the another wirelesscommunication device to process the feedback from including to ignoreanother portion of the feedback from the wireless communication devicethat corresponds to at least one of the plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel that is unused by the another wirelesscommunication device to transmit the at least the portion of the NDP tothe wireless communication device.
 13. The wireless communication deviceof claim 12, wherein: the communication channel includes a 320 MHzcommunication channel; the plurality of sub-channels of thecommunication channel includes sixteen 20 MHz sub-channels; and thefirst subset of the plurality of sub-channels of the communicationchannel includes n of the sixteen 20 MHz sub-channels, wherein n isgreater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to
 15. 14. Thewireless communication device of claim 12, wherein: the communicationchannel includes a 160 MHz communication channel; the plurality ofsub-channels of the communication channel includes eight 20 MHzsub-channels; and the first subset of the plurality of sub-channels ofthe communication channel includes n of the eight 20 MHz sub-channels,wherein n is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to
 7. 15.The wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein: thecommunication channel includes an 80 MHz communication channel; theplurality of sub-channels of the communication channel includes four 20MHz sub-channels; and the first subset of the plurality of sub-channelsof the communication channel includes n of the four 20 MHz sub-channels,wherein n is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to
 3. 16.A wireless communication device comprising: a communication interface;and processing circuitry that is coupled to the communication interface,wherein at least one of the communication interface or the processingcircuitry configured to: generate a null data packet (NDP); transmit atleast a portion of the NDP to another wireless communication device viaa first subset of a plurality of sub-channels of a communication channelcomprising punctured channels, wherein a second subset of the pluralityof the sub-channels is unused by the transmission; and receive feedbackfrom the another wireless communication device that is based on theanother wireless communication device processing the at least theportion of the NDP that is received via the first subset of theplurality of sub-channels of the communication channel, and wherein theat least one of the communication interface or the processing circuitryis further configured to, based on a preamble puncturing option, processthe feedback from the another wireless communication device including toignore another portion of the feedback from the another wirelesscommunication device that corresponds to the punctured channels.